In the assembly and repair of complex circuit modules typically having dual-in-line leads that extend downwardly therefrom, considerable care must normally be taken during the insertion of the leads into, or their extraction out of, an associated multi-socket assembly so as to neither damage the leads nor the body portion of the circuit module. A particularly serious problem has arisen in this regard with respect to circuit modules of the hybrid integrated circuit type, often employing thin film circuitry fabricated on a relatively thin, fragile circuit-supporting substrate, such as of ceramic material.
Whenever multi-leaded circuit modules of any particular type have been releasably connected, (as distinguished from soldered) to an associated circuit board via a multi-socket assembly heretofore, reliable lead-socket engagement has required that the leads, as well as the internal socket contacts, must be at least selectively gold plated. However, having to gold plate the leads of a circuit module substantially increases not only the manufacturing costs thereof, but inventory costs.
There has thus been an urgent need for a technique whereby the leads of multi-leaded circuit modules need not be gold plated in order to allow effective, reliable and readily releasable connections to be made between such leads and associated circuitry fabricated on a common support member, such as a circuit board. There has also been a need for a technique to extract the leads of a circuit module having a fragile circuit-supporting substrate from a circuit board without requiring the exertion of any direct displacement forces on either the substrate or the circuit board. In this connection, it is appreciated that a high density circuit board, in particular, may often also have easily damaged circuitry either supported or fabricated thereon in the immediate vicinity of a given circuit module to be extracted.